American Idol winner Phillip Phillips to undergo kidney surgery

Phillip Phillips, the winner of this year’s American Idol contest, has been battling kidney problems for months and was scheduled to undergo surgery this week. However, sources are now telling E! News that Phillips is “doing well” and responding to alternative treatments. At this point in time he has no plans to follow through with surgery.

“Surgery is usually not necessary; most kidney stones can pass through the urinary system of a patient as long as the individual drinks plenty of fluids. But in this case, the kidney stones are so big they can’t pass through the system, which is why surgery is needed,” explains Dr. Kia Michel, a urologist in Beverly Hills at La Peer Health Systems.

Phillip Phillips has battled kidney problems throughout his life. The serious congenital kidney condition he is suffering from produces kidney stones so large they cannot pass. The condition has virtually debilitated his kidney. Doctors inserted a stent into Phillips’ kidney seven weeks ago as a temporary fix, but now that the competition is over Phillips will undergo one additional procedure to reconstruct his kidney.

Until 20 years ago, open surgery was necessary to remove a stone. The surgery required a recovery time of 4 to 6 weeks. Today, treatment for these stones is greatly improved, and many options do not require major open surgery and can be performed in an outpatient setting.

“In the case with Phillips, his kidney is not entirely normal. The anatomy, shape, or structure might be abnormal. He may also have a metabolic disorder, affecting the way his body breaks down calcium or protein, which could cause kidney stones,” according to Dr. Michel.

Dr. Michel is one of the founding members of the Comprehensive Urology Medical Group, located in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Towers in Los Angeles, California. Comprehensive Urology Medical Group provides a personalized approach for helping patients with urologic conditions.

La Peer Health Systems focuses on excellence in patient care and offers the most advanced and contemporary treatments and equipment that the medical world has access to. With 42 doctors across 13 departments, from anesthesiology to urology, La Peer offers comprehensive and widespread medical treatments for all patients.

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